Mining- apparatus



Oct. 30, 1928.

M. P. HOLMES MINING APPARATUS Filed oct. 27. 1921 MoRRIs r. HOLMES, or ctannivrona', :unvv i MACHINERY contraire', a Coenen..

lmipilhhl'l OFFICE.

fili/PSl-IJERE, .ASSIGNR TO SULLIVAN .ZUM F MASSACHUSETTS.

MINING APBRATS.

Application filed October 27, 1521. Serial No. 510,699.

lily invention relates to mining apparatus.

lt has for its object to provide an improved mining` apparatus and more especially an improved mining,I apparatus comprising improved means for handlingl cuttings Whereby the cuttings are delivered at a point removed from the face and out of the Way of the coal. il further object of my invention is to provide an improved longwall mechanism wherein through the use of improved cuttings handling` mechanism, the above resulta are obtained at the same time that the machine is maintained of such nf'idth as to enable. it to Work at a close-propped face. A still further object of mv invention is to provide an improved cuttings handling mechai' 'sm adapted to be. applied to a standard mining' machine in an in'iproved manner and cooperate therewith to distribute the cuttings as above described. rlhese and other advantages of my improved construction will, lmwever7 hereinafter more fully appear.

in the accompanying drawings l lave shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, the same for these purposes beine shown as apisiilied to a longwall machine.

ln these drawingsm liig. l is a plan 'view of a mining` machine of the longwal type equippee with this form of inv impro vement. the slack shoveler casing` being; shown in section to facilitate illustration.

lli Q a side elevation of a slack shoveler mechanism(` the side casing being` removed and parts broltcn away.

` is an end view of the slack shoveler uism7 a portion of the casing being away.

i 4- is an enlarged sectional view on line i. Fi 2.

a similar view on line of lu Yhis illustrative eonstructioiu l have shown a mining` machine of a standard longll type and eoinjirising a casing l carrying i end thereof a pi oted cutter bar 2 proual cutter chain and also carryine' suitable machine feeding; mechanism which may be of any desired type and herein is of the flexible chain propelled type, the same including' a feed operating` member t en the opposite ond of the casina' from the bar and ccoperatine Twith a feed chain in a Well known maniaci., it being understood that the cutter chain` 3 and the feed operating member l are both driven from a motor 6 in the casing` l through usual driving1 connections not sho-Wn. its .in a usual construction this machine is adapted to have its bar 2 swung in under the face and then. to be propelled along; the face and relative to its flexible feedin@` member upon rotation of the feed op eratinp' member fl to undercut a face as the machine lsli des on its bottom on the mine bottoni. During` this operation, it Will be understood that lsince the cutter chain 3 moves around the bar in the direction of the arrows, the cuttings therefrom will be delivered beneath the retreatinpend of the machine in such a manner as heretofore to require under certain conditions constant shoveling on the part of one man to keep the cuttings away from the bottom at a point adjacent the face, as should they be allowed to remain Where the machine leaves thenn these cuttings will be mixed with the lump coal which either falls down into the space previously occupied by the machine after the machine has undercut, or is thereafter shot down into that space.

ln my impr vcd construction, improved means are provided whereby these cuttings are handled mechanically and autoii'iatically in such a manner as to throw them out of the machine path and out of the space desired for the lump coal. my improved mechanism being so disposed relative to the machine as to be movable in the same path the machine Without increasing the depth thereof or in any way f lecreasinpI the ability of the machine cut in a narrouT strip between the face and the props. More specifically, it Will be noted that operatively connected to the casino' l, herein to the rear head 7 thereof, is a 9 cuttings unit generally indicated at 8 and herein comprisinga casingslidable on its bottom on the mine bottom and disposed during; cutting;l in alinement with the casing l and on the opposite side of the bar 2 from the feed operating member 1l. is shown, this :as-:ing1 carries a cuttings handling' or shovelin member 9 disposed in front of the casing` 8 near the bottom and just in rear of the head 7 and adjacent the delivering1 end of the chain il. ils showin this member 9 has an open beveled side adjacent the mining maciiiue and both ends open, one end herein preferably communieatingv with a slide 10 on the casing` which is preferably curved and improved means for widened as it approaches the member S) to provide a free passage for cuttings to the shovel, while the other end is free to deliver the cuttings outside the path of the machine. Uperatively associated with the shovel 9 improved means for operating` that member, herein substantially in the manner of a manually operated shovel, this means comprising i'1'1ovin` the member i) toward and from the machine and improved means for tilting` the shovel after it is withdrawn from its loading po.' ion.

`We will first consider the means for moving the n'iember 9 toward or from the niachine. Herein it will be noted that a motor 11 is carried in a suitable causing` on the cas-- ing 8, the same herein beingl disposed longitudinally thereof. rilhis motor has a worm 12 operatively connected to the rear end of its armature shaft, which worm in vturn meshes with a worm gear 13 carried on a transverse shaft 1/1 journaled in suitable bear ings 15 supported on the bottom of the cas ing 8, while the shaft ll carries at one end a pinion 16 meshing` with a cooperatin@` pinion 17 on a parallel forwardly located longer shaft 18 likewise journaled in suitable bearings 19 supported on the bottom of the ing. Herein it will be observed that o ide each of these bearings 1S) the shaft carries an eccentric disk 2O having a pin 21 adjacent periphery and received in an elone' ted slot 22 on one end of a link 23 which is in turn pivoted at 24 to a cooperating upwardly disposed link 25 at a point preferably nearer the lower end thereof which is pivoted at on the bottom of the casino` tl. is shown herein7 each of these links 25 also pivoted at its upper end as through a slotted connection 2i' to one end of a longitudinally disposed red 28 passing'through suitable guides 8O on trie casing 8 and having its other end suitably connected to the machine head 7, herein hy bolts 81. Thus7 it will be observed that when the armature of the motor 'l1 is rotated, the worm 12 and the connected gearing;I cause the disks 2O to operate through their linkage to swing the members 25 about their pivots and thereby move the casing 8 toward or from the machine head 7 in such a manner as successively to project the shovel 9 into the cuttings and withdraw the loaded shovel therefrom.

Cooperating` with this mechanism is also improved mechanism for discharging` the load from the shovel. Here it will be noted that the member 9 is pivoted at its outer edge at 32 to one end of the casing S and that the shovel 9 is provided with a side 83 of suhstantially triangular form so that as it is moved forward, a limit for the cuttings is provided while when the shovel is tilted about its pivot 32, the cuttings will move freely out of the shovel and on to the bottom at a point adjacent the props. The mechanism for tilting the shovel herein includes a bevel pinion 34: carried on the opposite end of the sha lt ld from the pinion 16 and meshing with a cooperating` bevel pinion 35 on the front end of a longitudinally extending stub shaft ilo journaled in suitable bearingrs 3T on the hottom of the casing 8. Herein a disk 38 similar to the disks 2t) is connected to the rear end ol this shaft 36 and this disk carries a pin lo cooperating with a slot d0 in one end olt a transverse y disposed link All having n rack Ll2 on its opposite end n'iovable in a swinging1 bearing 4t2 relative to a pinion lll on a longitudinally disposed shaft elf-ll journaled in suitable bearings Ll5 supported on the casing l), and herein having a pinion 1l-(l on its lronl end meshing with a segmental rack zllT disposed about the shovel pivot 32 as a center and lined to the side 33 of the shovel. Through this mechanism, which ilV will he. noted operates in timed relation with ille mechanism for movingl the cuttings l'orward and backward relative to the machine, the shovel member ll is thrown from its lower dotted line position shown in Fie. El lo its upper dotted line position shown in that ligfure and back again as the casing 8 is near the rear limit of its travel, so 'that the cuttings are intern'iittently thrown from the shovel El between the props and entirely out ol' the space which it is desired to reserve for the lmnp coal.

its a result of my iminovement, it will he observed that the slack shovcliimj mechanism is exceedingly compact. the same being; dis posed within the lines of the machine in such a manner as in no wa.v to interfere with the use of the machine. the mechanism iin-:toad being` capable of being` used with a uuu-him wherever the machine may be used. lt will further be evident that through my improved construction and arrangement, the shoveline` liechanism may be made relatively light as compared with the machine so that the mov ment ofthe machine will not be impeded. this being especially true in view of thi` provision of a separate motor for supplying; the power for the shovelingj movements. although l do not consider that my invention is limited to the use of such a separate motor as obviously -under certain circumstances. the power may be derived from a convenient moving` part of the miningr machine. Attention is also directed to the fact that through my improved shovelinfr mechanisn'i7 the slack handled with substantially the saine accuracy as hy human hands, the n'iovements of my improved shoveler member correspondingI hroadlj.' to the movements of a shovel in the hands ol an operator, all the well known difficulties ol conveyors or the like being thereby climi nated. lt should also be noted that in my improved construction. the device may be attached to or removed from a miningr machine of standard construction whenever desired lill lll)

Lacasse and applied to standard machines in the .field quickly and at relatively small expense.

l/llhile I have in this application specifically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms Without departinfr from its spirit or the scope of the appendet claims.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a mining; apparatus, kerf cutting mechanism movable along a. face in which a kerf is being cut, and slack handling mechanism for moving slack laterally from the face and out of the path of the apparatus, said handling` mechanism being connected to said cutting mechanism and disposed Wholly outside of and parallel to the face and laterally of the trailing edge of said cutting mechanism.

2. ln a mining apparatus, kerf cutting' mechanism movable along a face in Which a kerf is being cut, and slack handling; mechanism movable therewith and normally bodily movable as a unit relative thereto in one direction during operation thereof and disposed parallel to the face.

jln a mining apparatus, Vieri cutting` mechanism movable along a face in which a kerf is being cut, and slack handling' mechanism connected to said cutting mechanism f at the trailing; end there-of and disposed parallel to,lwholly outside of, and against the face for receiving;l the slack ln'ougli'ht back from the korf by said cutting' mechanism and discharging the slack away from tie face and out of the path of the apparatus.

d. ln a mining apparatus, kerl" cutting; mechanism movable along' a face in which a kerf is being cut, and slack handling mechanism movable therewith and normally bodily movable as a, unit relative thereto in one direction during operation thereof and disposed parallel to and against the face.

5. ln a mining apparatus, a mining' machine including' kerf cutting mechanism movable along a face in Which a korf is being cut, and a trailing' slack handling mechanism for discharging slack laterally away 'from the face and out of the path of the machine,

said slack handling' mechanism being,` disposed Wholly outside of and parallel to the `face and supported independently of said f said shovel mechanism.

l. ln a mining` apparatus, a mininpV machine including a cutter chain carrying cutter bar, an automatically operating shovel mechanism connected to said machine including a pivoted shovel element for receiving` the cuttings therefrom and for discharging the cuttings laterally of said shovel mechaniem.

El. ln a mining apparatus, a mining machine including kerf cutting mechanism movable along a face in which a kerf is being cut, a shovel member connected to said mach' ie adjacent only the trailing' edge of said l f cutting mechanism and adjacent said face, and means for operating said shovel member to discharge slack laterally of the face.

9. ln a mining` apparatus, a mining machine including kerf cutting mechanism movable along a face in which a korf is bein 0' out, a tiltable shovel member connected to id machine adjacent the face, and means ,for loading and unloading said shovel member with a vertical load, said shovel member being adz'iptcd to discharge said load away from the lace.

l0. ln a mining' apparatus, a mining,` niachine including kerf cutting mechanism movable along,` a face in which a kerf is beingI cut, and means connected to said maw chine tor handling the slack created thereby including,` a shovel member, and means for reciprocating and tilting said shovel men'iber to pick up und discharge the slack away from the face.

ll. .ln a mining apparatus, a mining machine in cluding kerf cutting mechanism movable along a face in which a kerf is being cut, and means connected to said machine for handling` the slack created thereby including' a sho vel member, and means for reciprocatinn' said shovel member and tilting it after witlidrawal to pick up and discharge the slack away 'from the face.

l2. ln a mining apparatus, a minimi; machine includin-g' kerf cutting mechanismlmovable along a face in which a kerf is being cut, and means connected to said machine for handling the slack ci' ated thereby including a shovel member, and means for reciprocating said shovel member and tilting' it in oppositie directions after a longitudinal movementto pick up and discharge the slack away from the face.

13. ln a mining appara-tus, a mining machine includingr a machine casing' and a laterally proj ecting cutter bar at one end thereof, and slack handling' mechanism connected to said machine and disposed an gularly adjacent said bar Wholly outside the coal face and at the opposite side of said bar from said casing for discharging' slack laterally away from the fare and out of the path of the machine.

lll. ln a mining apparatus, a mining machine including a machine casing and a lat- Cil CII

Ul i

erally projectin cutter bar at. one end thereof, and slack handling mechanism connected to said machine and disposed adjacent said bar on the opposite side thereof from said casing and in longitudinal alinement ivith said casing, said slack handling` mechanism inclu ding means whereby slack disposed directly in front of a face in which the kerlrl is being,` cut is moved laterally ci' the tace and out oi the path of the machine.

l5. ln ainining; appa ratas, a mininp'niachine including a machine casing and a laterally projecting critter bar at one end thereof, and slack handling mechanism connected to said machine and disposed adjacent said bar on the opposite side thereotl -trom said casing and Within the lines of said casing` to move 'the slack laterally of the tace and out of the path of the machine.

l5. lin a mining` apparatus, keri2 cutting' mechanism movable along' a tace in vvhicli a kert is being cnt, and slack handling` mechaism connected to said kerl cutti mechenism and disposed adjacent and ou i le o ` said face for receiving cuttings brv'ziight back from the kerl by said cutting' mech anisn'i an comprising` a trailing unit, said unitl including an operating mechanism therefor includreceiving only slack cuttings made thereby7 and comprisingv a. unit connected to said kc cutting mechanism an d a slack slioveling meinber movable therewith, and means Ytor moving` said unit relative to said kerl" ci. ting' mechanism and said shoveling member relative to d unit.

18. lin a minnie; apparatus, a mining` machine having a frame carrying` a kerl cutting inechanisn'i, and slack handling mechanism connected thereto comprising a sell-supported unit and includinga slack receiviineinber movable bodily relative thereto, and sell"- contained driving connections carried by said slack handling' mechanism for normally moving said member bodily relative to said kerla cutting n'iechanismduring' operation thereof and independently thereof.

19. ln a mining apparatus, keriQ cutting' mechanism, slack handling' mechanism comprising' a self-supporting unit connected thereto and including a member movable bodily relative thereto, and driving connections including a motor carried by said slack handlingv mechanism Yfor moving,y said member relative to said kerl cutting' mechanism.

20. ln a mining' aipiiaratus, kerl cutting mechanism, slack handling nieclianisr... connected thereto and including a motor and a shovel member adapted to discharge-jc laterally from said mechanism, and operative connec- Lacasse tions to said motor for moving` said shovel mti...ier to 'ard and lrom said kort cutting mechanism and discharging a load Yfrom said shovel member.

2l. ln a mining; apparatus, kerf cutting mecha; L, slack handling mechanism connected thereto includinga motor and a shovel member, and operative connections to said motor lfor movingsaid shovel inembcr and slack shoveling` mechanism bodily toward and troni said kort cutting' mechanism and moving; said shovel member relative to said slack shoveling` mechanism to discharging position.

'20 ln a mining' apparatus, a mining` machi. ha" 'r a casing,r and cutting mechanier-.i including); a horizontal cutter bai' anoularly disposed relative thereto, said machine being` movable along` a face in ivhich a substantially horizontal kerl is beinc` cut, and slack handling mechanism connected to said casing and disposed angularly relative to id cutter bar and projectingfrom said casinov to move slack disposed directly in front oViti the Y.tace in vvhieh a kerl is being,` cut laterally thereof and out ot the path oil the machine.

ln a iiD-innig;` apparatus, a mining nialliiiie comprising a casing movable on a mine ottoni, and a horizontal cutter bar anguf disposed relative thereto, said mining naehine bein movable along' a face in which substantially horizontal kci'f is being` cut, `nd slack handling mechanism connected to :i i l casing' and disposed parallel tothe tace 'l adapted to discharge slack laterally of he tace and out of the path of the machine.

0*-, ln a ininingi' apparatus, a mining machine comprising a casing` movable on a mine bottoni and a horizontal cutter bar aneularly disposedrelative thereto, said minnie; machine being movable along' a tace in which a substantially horizontal kerl is being cut, and slack handling mechanism connected to said casing4 and disposed adjacent to the lacc for receiving' and discharging slack laterally therefrom and out ot the path of the machine.

253. ln a mining' apparatusr a minnie; machine movable on a mine bottoni and along' a face in which a kerl is being` cut and having a cutter bar angularly disposed relative thereto, and slack handling mechanism connected to said machine and disposed adjacent to the face and machine and Wholly outside of the lace, said mechanism being adapted to receive slack brought back 'from the kerit by said cutter bai' and. discharge the slack laterally from the face and out o the path ot' the machine.

in a miningl ailiparatus, a mining; machine comprising' a casing movable on a mine bottom, a cutter bar aiigularly disposed relative thereto. said machine being movable along a face in which a kerl is being cut, and

Lacasse slack handling mechanism connected to said casing projecting from said casing, said slack handling mechanism operating Wholly outside of and adjacent the face and receiving the slack brought back from the kerf by said cutter bar and discharging1 the slack laterally from the tace and out ot the path of the machine.

27. ln a mining apparatus, kerf cutting mechanism including a casing, slack handling mechanism operatively connected thereto and in alinement therewith tor dischargin slack laterally of the face in which a kerl. is being cut and out of the path of the apparatus, said slack handling mechanism being disposed Wholly outside the tace, and a cutter bar carried by said casing having a portion substantially parallel to said slack handling mechanism in a direction at substantially right angles to the face and disposed intermediate the remote ends ot said casing and slack handling mechanism.

28. ln a mining apparatus, kort cutting mechanism movable along a 'face in Which a kert is being eut, slack handling mechanism, disposed Wholly outside the face for receiving the cuttings brought'back from the kort by said cutting mechanism, said mechanisms each forming a self-supporting unit normally bodily movable relative to each other during operation thereof, and means to operatively connect said mechanisms together.

29. The combination With a mining machine movable along a face in Which a kert is being cut and having kerf cutting mechanism, of means operatii'felv connected to said machine and disposed adjacent to and Wholly outside of the i'ace Jfor receiving and discharging the slack brought back from the kerll by said cutting mechanism and disposed directly in front ot the face laterally thereof and out ot the path ot the machine.

30. The combination with a mining machine movable along a face in Which a kerf is being cut and having kerf cutting mechanism, of slack handling means disposed Wholly outside the tace and connected to said machine to trail the same along the `face and to receive and move the slack brought back from the kerf by said cutting mechanism laterally of the tace and out of the path of the machine.

31. The combination With a. mining machine movable along a tace in Which a kert is being cut including kert cutting means ior discharging the cuttings 'from the kerl, of slack handling mechanism connected to said machine and disposed adjacent and Wholly outside ot the tace to further displace cuttings in the same direction as their initial discharge out of the path of the. machine, the advancing side ot said slack handling mechanism being disposed behind the trailing side of said cutting mechanism.

32. rlhe combination with a mining machine movable along a l'ace in which a kerl is being cut including kert cutting means adapted to discharge the cuttings itrom'the kerl, ot slack handling mechanism connected to said machine and disposed Wholly outside the taco, said slack handling mechanism having a portion disposed behind the trailing edge ot said cutting mechanism for receiving the cuttings and dischi.rging` the same out of the path oit the machine in a direction parallel to said cutting means.

33. The combination with a mining man chine movable along a face in which a kerf is beingcut including kert cutting means tor discharging the cuttings lrom the kert, ot' slack handling mechanism connected to said machine and disposed Wholly outside the tace, said slack handling mechanism being adapted to receive the cuttings and move the same only laterally Yfrom the tace and out et the path of the machine.

3e'. llFhe combination with a mining machine movable along a tace in which a kert is being cut including kerl cutting means ior discharging the cuttings from the kart, of a self-contained slack handling mechanism connected to said machine tor receiving the cuttings, and means for normally bodily moving said mechanism relative to said machine during operation thereoi'l to handle the slack cuttings.

The combination with a mining machine movable along a. tace in Which a korf is being cut including the usual casing and cutter bar, ot slack handling mechanism disposed ivholly outside the tace and connected to said machine for discharging the slack cuttings laterally ot the tace and out oi the path ol the machine, said mechanism being disposed substantially adjacent the intersect-ion of said bar and casing and Whose advancing edge is disposed behind a portion of the trailing edge. ot the cutter bar.

36. 'lhe combination with a mining machine movable along a tace in Which kert is being cut including the usual casing and cutter bar, ot' slack handling mechanism disposed Wholly outside the tace and connected to said machine and having a portion ot its advancing edge disposed behind a portion oct the trailing edge oct the cutter bar, said mechanism being disposed substantially adn liacent the intersection ot the bar and casing 'for discharging cuttings created by the cutter bar laterally :trom the face and out of the path oi the machine.

37. rlhe combination With a` longwall mining machine including kert cutting` means, et slack handling mechanism for dischargslack laterally of the tace in which a kert is being cut, means for normally eit'ecting bodily movement ot said mechanism relative to said machine during operation thereot including tension members connecting llO said mechanism and machine, and means for detac-hably securing saidr members to said machine.

38. Slack handling mechanism forming a self-contained unit tor detachable connection to a mining machine comprising relatively movable members one ci which is adapted to handle slack, means iiicludingg' a motor carried by one ot said members 'l'or actuating the other, and means driven by said motor vtor etlccting bodily movcn'ient of said mechanism relative to the mining' machine during its operation.

39. Slack handling; mechanism forming a selt-contained unit tor detachable connection to a mining machine comprising' relatively movable members one ot which is adapted to handle slack, means including' a motor carried by one oic said members tor imparting to the other thereof' a lateral motion, and means driven by said motor tor effecting bodily movement ci said mechanism relative to the mining machine during its operation.

40. Slack handling' mechanism iorn'iing' a self-contained unit 'tor detachable connection to a mining' machine con'iprising` relatively movable members, means including' motor carried by one of said members lor imparting to the other thereof a lateral motion to discharge slack carried thereby, and means driven by said motor for effecting bodily movement of said mechanism relative to the mining' machine durinp' its operation.

4l. Slack handling` mechanism forming' a self-contained unit for detachable connec tion to a mining machine comprising; a movable member, means adapted to operatively connect the same to a support, means including a motor carried by said mechanism for moving the same relative to said connecting` means, and means driven by said motor tor eli'ecting' bodily movement ot said mechanism relative to the miningl machine during its operation.

' 42. Slack handling' mechanism comprising relatively movable members havingy means adapted to connect the same to a support, and means carried by one of said mem bers for imparting' in separate planes lateral curvilinear and longitudinal rectilinear movement successively to the other member relative to said connecting' means.

43. Slack handling` mechanism 'forming' a self-contained unit :tor detachable conn-ection toa mining machine comprising;` rela tively movable members having' means adapted to connect the same to a support, and means carried by one of said members for moving' said mechanism relative to said connecting' means and one of said members relatively to the other.

44. A slack handling mechanism forming; a self-contained unit for detachable connec tion to a mining machine comprising a shovel,

and means carried by said mechanism tor actuating said shovel.

45. A slack handling mechanism comprisingl a shovel, a support, the shovel beine' pivoted on an axis extending longitudinally oi' the support, and means carried by said mech` anism tor intermittently actuating` said shovel to load and unload the same and to permit a substantial period oit rest tor said shovel between intermittent actnations thereof.

45. Slack handling' mechanism Yforming,A a seli-contained unit tor detachable connection to a miningl machine comprising: a plurality o'l relatively movable members and ncluding` means adapted to be connected to a support, and means carried by said mechaism to canse relative movement at di'll'crent intervals in a plurality of directions between one of said members and said connecting.: means.

4'?. Slack handlinn` mecl'ianism termine' a self-contained unit 'lor detachable connec tion to a mining' machine comprising a plurality ot movable members one oi'l which handles slack, means whereby said membcixsI are adapted to be operatively connected to a support, means carried by one oi said members for causing' relatively reciprocatory movementbetween said connecting' means and mechanism, and means 'tor in'ipzirtinla,A a lateral movement to said slack handling member.

48. A slack handling' mechanism forming; a self-contained unit tor detachable connec tion to a mining machine and comprising' a casing, a slack handling;` member pivotcd thereon on a horizontal axis, a motor carried by said casing, and means whereby said motor is adapted to swing said handling; member about its horizontal axis.

49. A slack handling mechanism formingl a self-contained unit for detachable connection to a mining machine and comprising a casing, a slack handling' member pivotcd thereon on a horizontal axis, a motor carried by said casing, and means whereby said mot-or is adapted to swing said handling member about its horizontal axis and to also move the same rectilinearly in a direction parallel with said axis.

50. A slack handling mechanism formino' a self-contained unit for detachable connection to a mining' machine and comprising a casing, a. slack handling member pivoted thereon on horizontal axis, a motor carried by said casing, and means whereby said motor is adapted to swing` said handlingr member about its horizontal axis, said means including a lost-motion eimnection.

5l. A slack handling mechanism torn'iing a unit for detachable connection to a mining' machine and comprising a casing having,l a slack guiding nose and a slack handling' member onto which said nose directs slack malill liti

terial, and means whereby said latter member is adapted to be laterally moved to discharge slack avvay from the face in which a hert is being cut.

52. A slioveling device adapted for connection to a mining' machine comprising a shovel member, means whereby the same may be moved forwardly relative to sa id machine to obtain a load, and means whereby said shovel adapt-ed to be swung,l about an axis extending` generally alongl the longitudinal axis of said shovel to unload the same.

53 A shoveling device adapted for conLA nection to a mining` machine ccmprising` a shovel member, means whereby the same may be moved forwardly relative to said machine to obtain a load, and means Where by said shovel is adapted to be automatically rotated after it is loaded about an axis eXtending generally along,` the longitudinal axis of said shovel to unload the same laterally.

54. In a mining apparatus, mechanism :tor handling1 loose coal lying adjacent a coal face comprising a body movable longitudinally oit the coal tace, means on the advancing side ot said body and disposed wholly outside the tace tor collecting' loose coal, and means comprised in said collecting means for periodically dischargine` the collected material laterally ot t-lie advancing body.

55. ln a mining apparatus, a self-contained kei-il" cutting mechanism movable along,l a face in Which a kerit is being` out, and a selfn contained independently powered conveying mechanism disposed Wholly outside the tace and connected to said kerf cutting mechanism iter moving loose coal laterally away 'from the face.

56. ln a mining` apparatus, a cutting unit adapted to cut a lrerif in a coal face, an independently iioivered conveyingl unit disposed Wholly outside the tace, and operative connections between said units.

5T. ln a mining apparatus, a cuttingl unit adapted to cut a lrert in a coal face, a conveyor unit disposed Wholly outside the tace, and connections between said units for movine' the same bodily relative to each other during normal operation thereon ln testimony wheroi l ailiir my signature.

MORRIS) l). HOLE/IES. 

